We are inviting people to come celebrate the movement of the Spirit throughout this year. Come celebrate where we have been led during this pandemic.

Let us hear and honor…
The paths emerging
The lessons learned
The dreams clarified
The community strengthened
The love deepened
The fears identified
The losses mourned

Let us envision…
What may be emerging from this time of quiet?
How we are reaching out in new ways?
How is our world changing?
How are we moving toward clarity and adaptability?

Let us reflect on…
Is our mission a mission?
How we incorporate what we have created?
How we encourage the continuation of the creative spirit?
How we find the courage to engage systems that need to adapt to a deeper understanding of who we are becoming?

We will gather
Saturday May 1, 2021
9:30am – 12:00pm via Zoom

Stories shared from around the diocese about this year in the pandemic.
Time in smaller groups to explore ideas and questions
A time of celebration and learning.
All are welcome.

Join us on Saturday, February 27 from 10am-12pm for a Joint Chapter Meeting (with breakouts by individual chapters)

• COVID update

• Bishops Search News and Electing Convention

• 2021 Budget update

• Calendar Announcements

• GILEAD Grant information

In the afternoon, congregational leaders are invited to breakout sessions in the following areas from 1:00-2:30pm:

• Vestry member orientation

• Treasurers and bookkeepers

• GILEAD grant information session

• Technology forum (live-streaming and communication)

• Safeguarding administrators

• Licensed Ministries: Pastoral Leader, Worship Leader, Preacher, Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Catechist

God willing and the people consenting, the Right Reverend Alan Scarfe, Bishop of Iowa, will ordain Elizabeth Walters Gillman to the Sacred Order of Priests in Christ’s holy catholic Church on Saturday, February 13th, 2021 at five o’clock in the evening.

The offering will support feeding ministries in our churches across the diocese.

You are invited to join us in prayer for the nation at two special online services hosted and co-led by the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Des Moines and Trinity Cathedral, Davenport, at 4 pm on Sunday, September 13 and Sunday, October 11. The services will incorporate readings, collects, and music with invitation and blessing to be given by Bishop Scarfe.

In the beginning, chapters in the Diocese of Iowa, were set up, in part, to help facilitate churches in close proximity getting to know each other better (more in Diocesan Canon 15, Of Mission Chapters). Many of us have realized these growing relationships through a variety of experiences—one of which was the twice a year gathering of the chapter to focus on issues concerning the diocese, such as the annual budget and convention.

Since last spring and our new way of worshiping brought about by the pandemic, people have not been gathering in large groups. These August chapter meetings will be no different and we will not gather in person to do the business of the chapter but instead meet virtually and all together in a joint chapter meeting.

Chapter meetings occur in August to allow chapters to meet any deadline for convention resolutions and/or nominations. Meeting as one group through Zoom will allow us to address important issues before convention together and then we will go into individual chapter breakout rooms. Using this format, we can all benefit from any questions and/or comments raised in the large group and we can still do our own chapter work.

REGISTER TO RECEIVE THE CONNECTION INFORMATION

AGENDA INCLUDES:

• Virtual Convention information, including a tour of the convention app, resolutions and nomination information

• Draft diocesan budget for discussion

• BSNC update

• Update from the Task Force on Re-Gathering

• Information about required leadership trainings

• GILEAD grant timeline

• Breakouts by chapters for discussions and elections as needed.